Boiler-leveler for traction-engines.



J. MOON.

BOILER LEVELER FOR TRACTION ENGINES. AIPPLIOATION FILED DBO 13, 1913.

1L 1 29,2@ 1 Patented Feb. 23, 1915;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Jomv Moom,

THE NORRIS PETERS CCL. FHOrc-LITHQ, WASHINGYON4 D. c.

J. MOON. BOILER LEVELER FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.13, 1913f.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Gwen W13 'HE NORRIS PETERS Co., PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. n.

JOHN MOON, OF NEW I/IUNICH, MINNESOTA.

BOILER-LEVELER FOR TRACTION-ENGINES.

Application filed December 13, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN MOON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Munich, in the county of Stearns and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Levelers for Tractiondingines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in traction engines and more particularly to a boiler leveler therefor and the primary object is to provide a means whereby the front end of the boiler may be raised or lowered upon the traveling of the device up or down an incline, so as to retain said boiler substantially level at all times.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved leveling means which is operated from the steam of the boiler and a still further object resides in providing an auxiliary engine which directly operates the jack shaft for raising or lowering the forward end of the boiler.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very efficient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a traction engine embodying my improvements, showing the front wheel nearest the observer removed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation with parts in section disclosing the details of the device. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the connection between the worm gears. Fig. 4: is a fragmentary front elevation of the device. Fig. 5 is a section therethrough; and Fig. 6 is a plan View of the oscillating rod which is carried on the axle and shown removed.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 indicates a traction engine of the usual or any preferred type having the boiler 2 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 806,550.

thereon, said traction engine being provided with the front and rear axles 3 and l, respectively, upon which are mounted the front and rear wheels 5 and 6.

My invention contemplates the provision of a means for raising and lowering the forward end of the boiler with respect to the axle 3, wherebyto retain said boiler constantly on a level and, to this end, the front end of the boiler 2 has a casting 7 mounted thereon which is designed to form a head or the like, the same being provided with a socket 8 in the under face of the same. Received loosely in the socket S is the upper end of a threaded jack shaft 9, the threads thereon extending for the greater portion of its length and said threaded portion of the jack shaft is engaged with a nut 10 carried centrally on the front axle 3. This nut 10 is provided with the trunnions 11 which are mounted for oscillation in the sections of the front axle, thus permitting a movement of the jack shaft and parts carried thereby as the device is propelled. The upper portion of the jack shaft 9 which is unthreaded, is guided through a substantially U-shaped bracket 12 which is secured to the bottom of the boiler on opposite sides of the casting 7 and connected to said jack shaft 9 between the casting 7 and the base portion of the U- shaped member 12 is a worm wheel 13.

It will be seen from the above construction that upon the rotation of the worm wheel 13 in one direction or the other, the front end of the boiler will be raised or lowered, as the case may be and I have provided an improved means for connection with this worm wheel, in order to accomplish the desired result. To this end, an auxiliary double cylinder engine 14 is suitably mounted on the lower portion of the boiler 2 and has steam connection therewith. The valves of this engine are actuated through the medium of the link connection 15 leading to a hand lever 16 in the cab portion of the engine. The piston rods of the cylinders of this engine connect with eccentrics or cranks 17 on the crank shaft 18, the latter being suitably supported to extend transversely below the boiler 2, just rearward of the worm wheel 13. Mounted on this crank shaft is a worm gear 19 which meshes with the worm wheel 13 and it will be seen that upon the rotation of the crank shaft 18, power will be transmitted to the worm wheel 13 to correspondingly raise and lower the forward end of the boiler. I have also provided a valve gearing 20 which is of any conventional form and actuated by the hand lever 21, through the medium of the connecting links 22 connecting said lever with the valve gearing. In order to reinforce the jack shaft 9 I find it to advantage to operatively engage the lower end thereof with the truss bar 29 operatively engaged with the engine 1 at any convenient point rearwardly of the axle 3.

In operation, should the traction engine be driven up an incline, and it is desired to lower the forward end of the boiler to retain the latter level, the lever 16 is properly actuated to start the auxiliary engine 14, which will cause the jack shaft 9 to be rotated in the proper direction, to lower the boiler. Nhen it is desired to raise the boiler to its initial position, the lever 21 is first actuated to operate the engine in the opposite direction, whereupon the lever 16 is properly disposed to start the engine and the forward end of the boiler will be raised. Through the medium of the device which I have provided, the boiler may be raised or lowered, as desired, by a mere actuation of the levers provided in the cab of the engine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the of the invention and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim is In a device of the character described, the combination with an axle comprising spaced sections and a boiler; of a nut positioned between the sections of the axle and provided with trunnions engageable with said sections, a casting carried by the boiler provided with a socket, a jack shaft threaded through the nut and having its upper end loosely received in the socket of the casting, a guide frame carried on the boiler through which the shaft loosely projects, a truss member for the shaft operatively engaged with the lower extremity thereof, and means for rotating the shaft for raising and lowering the boiler with respect to the axle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN MOON.

Witnesses:

H. J. TERHAAR, B. H. TERI-IAAR.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

